The Marauders' Riddle
by hpreborn
Summary: Nikayla Riddle was a freak until the day she was brought to Hogwarts. She met friends of her kind. Yet a conspiracy was threatening her friends' and her life.
1. Chapter 1

**01 The Orphanage**

Shadows were fading. The sapphire blue sky was tinkled with small dots of light. The dawn sky was clean and fresh. The mist that had always veiled London seemed to have disappeared without a trace. An old man with an unhooded cloak arrived at an orphanage at suburb part of London. He turned around and his wise eyes gazed at nothing, until a cat crept out from an ally. The cat looked back at him and in an instant, she transformed into a middle-aged lady. She fixed her tilted pointy-hat and took a step forward.

"Good morning, Minerva." The old man greeted Professor Mcgonagall rather cheerfully, yet she was stern and frowned.

"Is this really the right time, Albus?" She doubted. "

"Oh I'm afraid that we cannot wait any longer, Minerva. The child is thirteen. It would be most disastrous if we still keep her away from Hogwarts." Professor Albus Dumbledore still looked relaxed, yet his tone became serious. Professor Mcgonagall sighed but nodded. She glanced around and made sure there was no one else, then flashed herself away.

A girl with gold, bouncy hair watched all of this through her window in the orphanage. She could not believe what she just saw. Luckily, she did not have time to think further as she was distracted by the squeaky noise of the door when May Chase opened it.

"Niki, the Dean is expecting you." May told the blonde girl. She rubbed her eyes, and placed her eyes on the now empty street again. She decided to forget about what she saw and followed her friend to the Dean's office.

Nikayla Riddle. An orphan.

With beautiful wavy blonde hair and sparkling bloody red eyes, she had all attractive features. She also had perfect figure. Medium height, slim, with just fit curves, she should be most admired. Yet she wasn't very popular in the orphanage. Her weird behaviour, like cracking a window when she got angry, having the bullies somewhat cursed….frightened other children. She knew she was different.

For over ten years she had lived in the Wool's orphanage. Just as her surname, her background was a riddle. The only thing she knew about her family was her name and a snake-shaped necklace that had accompanied her since birth, according to the dean, Lance Midford. He seemed to know a lot about her. He seemed to understand how glasses broke on its own. Yet he had not said a word.

May led her to the Dean's office. Halting at the door, she looked quite anxious. "There was a strange old man looking for Mr. Midford. Do you know what is going on?"

Nikayla shrugged and said, "Perhaps he is a psychologist. Trying to mentor me after I broke the stained glass at the church?"

"Oh no, Niki. The dean believes that you are not responsible for that." May was very worried despite what she was saying to comfort her friend. Nikayla patted her hand quietly and entered the office.

"Good day, Mr. and Mrs. Midford." Nikayla was always in her best behaviour when a guest was present. She could not embarrass the dean and his wife. "And Good day to you too, sir."

"Good morning, Nikayla." The old man replied casually as if he already knew her. His wise blue eyes looked at Nikayla through his crescent-shaped glasses. Nikayla felt uncomfortable. Being stared at the old man made her feel that her secrets were all exposed.

"Mr. Midford, I apologize for breaking your glass again, but a psychologist would not be necessary." She took a glimpse of the old man.

"I am not a psychologist, Nikayla." The old man chuckled. "I remember your father presented the exact same kind of distrust when I invited him to my school."

"My father?" Nikayla said immediately. "You knew my father?"

"Oh yes. Tom Marvolo Riddle. He grew up in this orphanage too." He nodded, but did not explain too much, expecting her to keep asking.

"Is he still alive?" Nikayla looked into his clever, cunning eyes.

"Alive. Of course he is alive." He replied.

"So he abandoned me?" Nikayla was a bit angry and looked away. Her red eyes flashed.

"No, the problem is a lot more complicated." The old man said, and gestured at the sofa. "I need some time to explain. You may want to have a seat."  
Nikayla did not really want to sit so close to him, but still she followed his instruction.

"Your parents are wizards. So are you."

Silence.

"Are you suggesting that we're actually a magician family while my mom is the hot magician's assistant?" Nikayla laughed.

The old man was still calm, "Have you ever wondered why glass breaks by itself when you are angry? Why those who bullied you did not turn out well the next day?"

Nikayla did not reply. She couldn't.

"I am Professor Albus Dumbledore of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am here to take you to school just like other talented children. They usually attend my school at the age of 11, but you are in a special situation which I am going to explain later. But I am certain that you are able to catch up with your studies within a summer." Dumbledore took out his wand. With a little wave, the cup was transformed into a parrot. Nikayla was astonished.

"How did you—"

"Magic." Dumbledore smiled and patted his wand with his finger.

Nikayla bit her lips nervously, "Then what kind of situation am I in?"

"Let me put it in the simplest way. Your mother is dead. Your father is not exactly a nice person. We believe that getting you out of his influence would be the best for you. So we brought you to the muggle world—the world you are in now, without magic—when you were one." He explained.

"And you believe that putting me in an orphanage would be the best choice for me?"

"Well there were a lot of wizards and witches offering to adopt you, but you must grow up in the muggle world so that you are out of your father's reach." Dumbledore said promptly. "Now that you father is slightly less powerful, we believe that it is time for you to receive the education you were meant to have. In fact, I was hoping that you could leave right now."

"Now? What about May? I'm not leaving her."

"Miss Chase, what do you think?" Dumbledore smiled again. Nikayla was surprised to see May entering the room. She must have been overhearing their conversation at the door.

"I will be fine, Niki. You don't have to worry about me." May's eyes were filled with tears. "Those people in that school are same as you are. You won't be treated as a freak anymore. You could even meet your family. You have to go."

"May—" Nikayla hugged her best friend and wouldn't let go.

"You could come back in your summer holiday." Dumbledore added.

"Niki, my dear." The dean, Lance Midford, pressed his hands on her shoulder. "You belong to the magic world."

Nikayla finally let go of May. She wiped away her tears and nodded, "Thank you, Uncle Lance, Aunt Laura and May. I will come back."


	2. Chapter 2

English is not my mother language so this is my attempt to write in English. In fact I've published a few chapters of this story in Chinese before but this is amended. Please feel free to give any comments :))

**02 When they first met**

Professor Dumbledore used a Portkey to bring Nikayla to a place called Diagon Ally, where she could get everything she need for school. They appeared in front of four boys. Nikayla frowned and rubbed her stomach as it was not exactly comfortable using the portkey. She combed her hair and glanced at the boys about her age.

"You're a bit early, Headmaster. We wouldn't even be here yet if Remus didn't drag us here fifteen minutes earlier than we decided." The boy with messy black hair complained. He looked very energetic. His hair was so tangled as if he just fell off a broomstick. And he was obviously not bothered by the fact that he was talking to the headmaster even though the light-haired boy was pulling his sleeves, hinting him to stop. "Is this our new classmate?"

"Yes, Mr. Potter. Meet Miss Nikayla Riddle." Dumbledore replied as if he was not aware of the boy's impolite tone.

"James Potter at your service, Nikayla. I am one of the princes in Hogwarts." He grinned widely as he shook Nikayla's hand. "Got any shorter nickname or something?"

"My friends call me Niki." She answered.

"Niki it is, then!" He then pointed at an absolutely charming boy with dark blue hair. "The one who looks like a dog over there is Sirius Black."

"I do not look like a dog." He scowled, but quickly gave Nikayla a bright, enchanting smile. "Hello Niki, do not pay attention to a word that bird-nest-head says."

"Would you four please accompany Nikayla to get all her things ready? I've got other things on my schedule." Dumbledore turned around and before he disappeared, he added, "I wish you five have fun together."

The boy with light brown hair was Remus Lupin, and the gray-haired one was Peter Pettigrew. They claimed that they were the famous (or notorious, as Remus added) Marauders. They started to introduce to her about Hogwarts. Remus was being very informative in different subjects, their culture and some useful guidelines, while James and Sirius put a lot of emphasis on how popular they were among girls. Nikayla doubted that a lot— James and Sirius were more like idiots to her. She didn't think any girl would actually like them despite the fact that they both looked very appealing. Peter stammered quite often, and tended to hide behind the other three as if she was Medusa. Remus spoke softly and had a warm smile. He seemed to be the most normal one, but Sirius replied solemnly, "You would recognize your mistake when you see him with chocolate."

When Remus was talking about the four houses, it was easy for Nikayla to identify the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Slytherins, according to James and Sirius, were wicked and cunning students who played filthy tricks and were filled with pure-blood mind. The two of them disgusted the Slytherins so much that Remus had to stop them from babbling about the Slytherins' evilness.

"I think my father came from Slytherin." Nikayla was apprehensive about her future school life. She would prefer Gryffindor. At least she knew someone there.

"It's okay, Niki. It is true that usually people from the same family are sorted to the same house, but look at Sirius. His whole family comes from Slytherin but the sorting hat put him in Gryffindor as he asked." James comforted her.

"Well, girls love shopping, don't they?" Peter said, more like muttered. "Maybe we should pay a visit to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions?"

"Little Peter, we should go to the Gringotts first." James said patiently, then turned to Nikayla. "Niki, Dumbledore should have given you your key, haven't he?"

"Yes, he said my father mailed it to him." Nikayla answered, though she couldn't understand why a villain like her father would keep contact with Dumbledore.

They arrived at a building that looked like it was about to collapse. The wizard bank was filled with inimical goblins. Nikayla halted in front of a counter by Remus' instructions and handed the goblin her key.

"Second vault of Mr Riddle." He glanced at Nikayla. "Your name?"

"Nikayla Riddle."

"Your full name. I bet there are more than one Nikayla Riddle in Britain." He screeched.

"Goblins are not known for their friendliness." Remus whispered to Nikayla, but apparently not quiet enough as the goblin glared at him immediately with ferocious eyes. Nikayla sighed, and decided not to argue with him how many "Nikayla Riddle" there is in Britain.

"Nikayla Elizabeth Merope Riddle."

"Show me your proof."

"Proof?" She repeated, and took out her snake-shaped necklace. "Is this it?"

He took a glimpse of the necklace, then replied, "Fine, Miss Riddle. I will take you to your vault. Are your friends coming with you?"

She nodded. And the five of them went underground and climbed into a cart. In less than two minutes, they were standing in front of her father's vault.

"Key." The goblin demanded with his croaked voice, and opened the door as Nikayla handed him the key.

A mountain of gold coins.

"Wow looks like your father's pretty rich, huh?" James stared at the piles of gold coins.

"How much do I need?" Nikayla asked. She didn't fancy the idea of visiting the unfriendly goblins again.

"About 70 galleons, I'd say." Remus thought for a while and answered. "Textbooks and robes are rather expensive this year. You'll need about 30 galleons to get all of them. But I suggest you to change 20 of them to sickles and knuts. We don't usually use galleons in daily life."

She did as he said, and took 30 galleons, hundreds of sickle and a handful of knuts.

"Let's get your wand first, then robes, lastly your textbooks."


End file.
